# Live File System

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Windows file system for CD and DVD

**Live File System** is the term [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft) uses to describe the [packet writing](/source/Packet_writing) method of creating discs in [Windows Vista](/source/Features_new_to_Windows_Vista#UDF_packet_writing_(Live_File_System)) and later, which allows writeable [optical media](/source/Optical_media) to act like [mass storage](/source/Mass_storage) by replicating its [file operations](/source/File_management). Live File System lets users manage files on recordable and rewriteable optical discs inside the [file manager](/source/Windows_File_Manager) with the familiar workflow known from mass storage media such as [USB flash drives](/source/USB_flash_drive) and external [hard disk drives](/source/Hard_disk_drive).

Files can be added incrementally to the media, as well as modified, moved and deleted.[1] These discs use the [UDF](/source/Universal_Disc_Format) file system.[2] The supported UDF versions for usage as a live file system are UDF 1.50, UDF 2.00, UDF 2.01, UDF 2.50 for [CD-R](/source/CD-R), [CD-RW](/source/CD-RW), [DVD±R](/source/DVD%C2%B1R), [DVD±RW](/source/DVD%C2%B1RW) and [BD-RE](/source/BD-RE), and UDF 2.60 for [BD-R](/source/BD-R).[3][a] However even if UDF 1.50 and above can be read, only the plain UDF build may be supported and not necessarily either the VAT or Spared UDF builds required for full compatibility. [Windows 2000](/source/Windows_2000) for example only supports the original UDF 1.50 variation and not the Virtual Allocation Table build for remapped physical blocks; something not all optical drive units fully implement either.

The *Live File System* option is used by default by [AutoPlay](/source/AutoPlay) when formatting/erasing a CD/DVD -R or -RW.

## Compatibility

Older Windows versions do not have support for reading the latest UDF versions.[2] If users create DVD/CDs in Windows Vista using UDF 2.50, these may not be readable on other systems, including Windows XP and older (pre-Mac OS 10.5) Apple systems unless a third-party UDF reader driver is installed. To ensure compatibility of disks created on Windows Vista, UDF 2.01 or lower should be selected.

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Although [HD-DVD](/source/HD-DVD) has also been supported,[4] the disc type has been discontinued.

## See also

- [InCD](/source/InCD) – Commonly used for packet writing before natively supported since Windows Vista

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Shultz, Greg (September 20, 2007). ["Take advantage of Vista's Live File System optical disc format"](http://blogs.techrepublic.com/window-on-windows/?p=536). techrepublic.com. Retrieved 2008-11-22.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-windows-help_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-windows-help_2-1) ["Understanding the difference between the Live File System and Mastered disc formats"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160302084517/http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/which-cd-dvd-format#1TC=windows-7). *Which CD or DVD format should I use?*. Microsoft. Archived from [the original](http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/2af64e60-60aa-4d79-ab6c-3a5db5806cbe1033.mspx#section_2) on 2016-03-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Hahn, Timo (2009-02-13). ["Dateien mit dem Windows-Explorer brennen"](https://www.computerwissen.de/windows/windows-news/artikel/dateien-mit-dem-windows-explorer-brennen.html). *ComputerWissen* (in German).[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Software: UDF reader 2.5"](https://www.videohelp.com/software/UDF-Reader). *VideoHelp*. 2006-11-11.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Live File System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_File_System) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_File_System?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.